Call connection control unit and call connection control method

ABSTRACT

The invention provide a call connection control method of using a conventional telephone as-is and performing cooperation with low possibility of mistaking the telephone and a call connection control unit for implementing the method. On receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, a call connection control unit searches for an outgoing-side IP-Telephone which is cooperated, and transmits an incoming request to the IP-Telephone. On receiving the incoming request, the IP-Telephone sounds a ringing tone. If a caller puts the IP-Telephone having sounded the ringing tone in a Starting State, the call connection control unit sends out a Ring Back Tone to the IP-Telephone and transmits an incoming request to an incoming-side IP-Telephone. On receiving the incoming request, the IP-Telephone sounds a ringing tone. If a recipient puts the IP-Telephone having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State, the call connection control unit renders the IP-Telephone and the IP-Telephone telephone call-enabled.

The present application is based on and claims priority of Japanese patent application No. 2005-259745 filed on Sep. 7, 2005, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a telephone system including a telephone, a Personal Computer and a call connection control unit, and in particular, to the call connection control unit for exerting call connection control and a call connection control method for the call connection control unit.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, a telephone number is manually inputted when transmitting from a telephone. For this reason, there are problems that an input error may occur and input operations are cumbersome.

To solve the problems, there is a proposed technique for cooperating the telephone and Personal Computer. Here, cooperation of the telephone and Personal Computer means inputting the telephone number by using the Personal Computer, transmitting to the telephone number and receiving on both the Personal Computer and telephone for instance. This takes advantage of good visibility of a screen of the Personal Computer and good operability of input means (a keyboard, a mouse and the like).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-127902 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-229151 disclose techniques for reducing the input errors and cumbersomeness by selecting the telephone number displayed on the Personal Computer cooperated with the telephone.

As for the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-127902, however, the telephone requires a function of receiving the telephone number sent out by the Personal Computer and a function of transmitting to the received telephone number. As a commercially available telephone does not have such functions normally, it is necessary to purchase a dedicated telephone having such functions or remodeling the telephone currently in use. Thus, there are problems that it significantly requires cost for investment in facilities and labor hours for setup work.

As for the technique of Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-229151, it is necessary to select the telephone number of an intended party on the Personal Computer screen and then independently perform an outgoing operation from the telephone cooperated with the Personal Computer. Therefore, a user needs to memorize which telephone is the cooperated telephone, and there is a problem that the telephone may be mistaken in an environment of using multiple telephones in particular. There is also a problem that it is inconvenient in a “free seating office” where the seats of workers are not fixed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to provide a call connection control method of using a conventional telephone as-is and performing cooperation with low possibility of mistaking the telephone and a call connection control unit for implementing the method.

A call connection control unit according to a first aspect of the present invention is the one for exerting call connection control including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising: means for, on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; means for transmitting a first incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; means for sending out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving a first response corresponding to the first incoming request; means for transmitting a second incoming request to an incoming-side telephone; and means for putting the outgoing-side telephone and the incoming-side telephone in a telephone call-enabled state on receiving a second response corresponding to the second incoming request.

According to the call connection control unit of the first aspect of the present invention, functions required for the outgoing-side telephone are only an incoming function and a call function. Besides, on transmission, the outgoing-side telephone has incoming so that a conventional telephone can be used as-is and cooperation can be performed with low possibility of mistaking the telephone.

A call connection control unit according to a second aspect of the present invention is the one for exerting call connection control including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising: means for, on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; means for transmitting an incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; and means for canceling the incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving an outgoing cancel from the outgoing-side Personal Computer.

According to the call connection control unit of the second aspect of the present invention, the outgoing-side Personal Computer can cancel the transmission.

A call connection control method according to a third aspect of the present invention is the one used by a call connection control unit including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising the steps of: on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; transmitting a first incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; sending out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving a first response corresponding to the first incoming request; transmitting a second incoming request to an incoming-side telephone; and putting the outgoing-side telephone and the incoming-side telephone in a telephone call-enabled state on receiving a second response corresponding to the second incoming request.

According to the call connection control method of the third aspect of the present invention, the functions required for the outgoing-side telephone are only the incoming function and call function. Besides, on transmission, the outgoing-side telephone has incoming so that the conventional telephone can be used as-is and the cooperation can be performed with low possibility of mistaking the telephone.

A call connection control method according to a fourth aspect of the present invention is the one used by a call connection control unit including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising the steps of: on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; transmitting an incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; and canceling the incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving an outgoing cancel from the outgoing-side Personal Computer.

According to the call connection control method of the fourth aspect of the present invention, the outgoing-side Personal Computer can cancel the transmission.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a call connection control method of using a conventional telephone as-is and performing cooperation with low possibility of mistaking the telephone and a call connection control unit for implementing the method.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a first embodiment and a fourth embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of the first embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a sequence diagram showing the procedure of the first embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of a second embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing the procedure of the second embodiment;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of a third embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing the procedure of the third embodiment;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table showing correspondences of IP addresses and telephone numbers;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a telephone displayed on a screen of a Personal Computer; and

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram in the case of an outgoing cancel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the attached drawings. The following embodiment is just one specific example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a telephone system of this embodiment. The telephone system comprises a call connection control unit 11, a Personal Computer 51, an IP-Telephone 62, a Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63, an Internet Protocol Base station 64 and a Local Area Network 31. The Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63 and the Internet Protocol Base station 64 are wirelessly connected, and the call connection control unit 11, Personal Computer 51, IP-Telephone 62 and Internet Protocol Base station 64 are connected by the Local Area Network 31. Each of the pairs surrounded by a dotted line indicates the cooperation of a telephone and a Personal Computer.

FIGS. 2 and 3 are sequence diagrams showing a procedure of the call connection control method of this embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table showing combinations of IP addresses of the Personal Computers 51 connected to the Local Area Network 31 and the telephone numbers of the telephones cooperated with the Personal Computers 51. The call connection control unit 11 has this table stored therein.

In FIG. 2, the outgoing side is an IP-Telephone 62 a and a Personal Computer 51 a, and the incoming side is an IP-Telephone 62 c (not cooperated with the Personal Computer 51). First, a caller performs an outgoing operation by using the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing request to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing request, the call connection control unit 11 transmits an acceptance of the request to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a cooperated with the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a which is cooperated. On receiving the incoming request, the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a sounds a ringing tone (ringing) If the caller puts the IP-Telephone 62 (outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a) having sounded the ringing tone in a Starting State (Off-Hook State), the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 sends out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a and transmits an incoming request to an incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c. On receiving the incoming request, the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c sounds a ringing tone (ringing) If a recipient puts the IP-Telephone 62 (incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 transmits the response to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a and renders the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a and the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c telephone call-enabled.

In FIG. 3, the outgoing side is an IP-Telephone 62 a and a Personal Computer 51 a, and the incoming side is an IP-Telephone 62 b and a Personal Computer 51 b. First, the caller performs the outgoing operation by using the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing request to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing request, the call connection control unit 11 transmits an acceptance of the request to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a cooperated with the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a which is cooperated. On receiving the incoming request, the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a sounds a ringing tone (ringing) If the caller puts the IP-Telephone 62 (outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 sends out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the Personal Computer 51 b cooperated with the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b and the incoming-side Personal Computer 51 b. On receiving the incoming request, the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b and the incoming-side Personal Computer 51 b sound a ringing tone (ringing). If the recipient puts the IP-Telephone 62 (incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response from the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b, the call connection control unit 11 transmits the response to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a, sends an incoming request cancel to the incoming-side Personal Computer 51 b and renders the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a and the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 b telephone call-enabled.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the configuration of the telephone system of this embodiment. The telephone system comprises a call connection control unit 11, a Personal Computer 51, an IP-Telephone 62, a Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63, an Internet Protocol Base station 64, a Local Area Network 31, a Private branch exchange 21 and a router 22, and is connected to a public network 41 through the Private branch exchange 21 and connected to an Internet Protocol network through the router 22. The Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63 and the Internet Protocol Base station 64 are wirelessly connected, and the call connection control unit 11, Personal Computer 51, IP-Telephone 62 and Internet Protocol Base station 64, Private branch exchange 21 and router 22 are connected by the Local Area Network 31. Each of the pairs surrounded by a dotted line indicates the cooperation of a telephone and a Personal Computer.

FIG. 5 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of the call connection control method of this embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table showing combinations of IP addresses of the Personal Computers 51 connected to the Local Area Network 31 and the telephone numbers of the telephones cooperated with the Personal Computers 51. The call connection control unit 11 has this table stored therein.

In FIG. 5, the outgoing side is the IP-Telephone 62 a and the Personal Computer 51 a, and the incoming side is a telephone (a fixed-line telephone, a cellular phone or the like) accommodated in the public network. First, the caller performs the outgoing operation by using the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing request to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing request, the call connection control unit 11 transmits an acceptance of the request to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a cooperated with the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a which is cooperated. On receiving the incoming request, the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a sounds a ringing tone (ringing) If the caller puts the IP-Telephone 62 (outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 sends out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a and transmits an incoming request to an incoming-side telephone (telephone accommodated in the public network). The incoming request reaches the telephone accommodated in the public network by way of the Private branch exchange 21 and an exchange in the public network. On receiving the incoming request, the telephone accommodated in the public network sounds a ringing tone (ringing). If the recipient puts the telephone (telephone accommodated in the public network) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the telephone accommodated in the public network transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. The response reaches the call connection control unit 11 by way of the exchange in the public network and the Private branch exchange 21. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 transmits the response to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a and renders the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a and the incoming-side telephone accommodated in the public network telephone call-enabled.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the configuration of the telephone system of this embodiment. The telephone system comprises a call connection control unit 11, a Personal Computer 51, a Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61, an IP-Telephone 62, a Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63, an Internet Protocol Base station 64, a Local Area Network 31, a Private branch exchange 21 and a router 22, and is connected to a public network 41 through the Private branch exchange 21 and connected to an Internet Protocol network through the router 22. The Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63 and the Internet Protocol Base station 64 are wirelessly connected, and the call connection control unit 11, Personal Computer 51, IP-Telephone 62 and Internet Protocol Base station 64, Private branch exchange 21 and router 22 are connected by the Local Area Network 31. The Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 is accommodated in the Private branch exchange 21. Each of the pairs surrounded by the dotted line indicates the cooperation of a telephone and a Personal Computer.

FIG. 7 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of the call connection control method of this embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table showing combinations of IP addresses of the Personal Computers 51 connected to the Local Area Network 31 and the telephone numbers of the telephones cooperated with the Personal Computers 51. The call connection control unit 11 has this table stored therein.

In FIG. 7, the outgoing side is a Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a and the Personal Computer 51 a, and the incoming side is the IP-Telephone 62 c (not cooperated with the Personal Computer 51). First, the caller performs the outgoing operation by using the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing request to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing request, the call connection control unit 11 transmits an acceptance of the request to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a cooperated with the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a which is cooperated. The incoming request reaches the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a byway of the Private branch exchange 21 accommodating the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a. On receiving the incoming request, the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a sounds a ringing tone (ringing). If the caller puts the telephone (outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. The response reaches the call connection control unit 11 by way of the Private branch exchange 21. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 sends out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a and transmits an incoming request to the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c. On receiving the incoming request, the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c sounds a ringing tone (ringing). If the recipient puts the IP-Telephone 62 (incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c) having sounded the ringing tone in the Starting State (Off-Hook State), the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c transmits a response to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the response, the call connection control unit 11 transmits the response to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a and renders the outgoing-side Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61 a and the incoming-side IP-Telephone 62 c telephone call-enabled.

Fourth Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the telephone system of this embodiment. The telephone system comprises a call connection control unit 11, a Personal Computer 51, an IP-Telephone 62, a Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63, an Internet Protocol Base station 64 and a Local Area Network 31. The Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63 and the Internet Protocol Base station 64 are wirelessly connected, and the call connection control unit 11, Personal Computer 51, IP-Telephone 62 and Internet Protocol Base station 64 are connected by the Local Area Network 31. Each of the pairs surrounded by the dotted line indicates the cooperation of a telephone and a Personal Computer.

FIG. 10 is a sequence diagram showing a procedure of an outgoing cancel of this embodiment. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram of a table showing combinations of IP addresses of the Personal Computers 51 connected to the Local Area Network 31 and the telephone numbers of the telephones cooperated with the Personal Computers 51. The call connection control unit 11 has this table stored therein. FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the telephone displayed on the screen of the Personal Computer 51. On the display of the telephone (FIG. 9), a user can move a pointer (arrow) of a mouse on a button and click on it to press the button.

In FIG. 10, the outgoing side is the IP-Telephone 62 a and the Personal Computer 51 a, and the incoming side is the IP-Telephone 62 c (not cooperated with the Personal Computer 51). First, the caller performs an outgoing operation by using the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing request to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing request, the call connection control unit 11 transmits an acceptance of the request to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a. Furthermore, the call connection control unit 11 searches for the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a cooperated with the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a by using the table shown in FIG. 8, and transmits an incoming request to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a which is cooperated. On receiving the incoming request, the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a sounds a ringing tone (ringing) If the caller wants to cancel the transmission at this point in time, the caller presses (clicks on with the mouse) a cancel button 74 of the telephone shown in FIG. 9. Thus, the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a transmits an outgoing cancel to the call connection control unit 11. On receiving the outgoing cancel, the call connection control unit 11 transmits the outgoing cancel to the outgoing-side IP-Telephone 62 a, and further transmits a response to the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51 a.

Thus, the outgoing-side telephone can be cooperated with the Personal Computer 51 only by means of the normally provided functions (incoming function and call function). The outgoing-side telephone rings on transmission so that the telephone can be identified and so a possibility of mistaking the telephone can be reduced. Furthermore, the transmission can be canceled from the outgoing-side Personal Computer 51.

According to the above-mentioned embodiments, the outgoing-side telephones are the IP-Telephone 62 and the Circuit switching type telephone (Extension Telephone) 61. However, the Digital Cordless-Phone (Personal Handyphone System terminal) 63 may also be used. 

1. A call connection control unit for exerting call connection control including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising: means for, on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; means for transmitting a first incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; means for sending out a Ring back tone to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving a first response corresponding to the first incoming request; means for transmitting a second incoming request to an incoming-side telephone; and means for putting the outgoing-side telephone and the incoming-side telephone in a telephone call-enabled state on receiving a second response corresponding to the second incoming request.
 2. A call connection control unit for exerting call connection control including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising: means for, on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; means for transmitting an incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; and means for canceling the incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving an outgoing cancel from the outgoing-side Personal Computer.
 3. A call connection control method used by a call connection control unit including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising the steps of: on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; transmitting a first incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; sending out a Ring Back Tone to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving a first response corresponding to the first incoming request; transmitting a second incoming request to an incoming-side telephone; and putting the outgoing-side telephone and the incoming-side telephone in a telephone call-enabled state on receiving a second response corresponding to the second incoming request.
 4. A call connection control method used by a call connection control unit including means for storing a correspondence between an Identifier for identifying a telephone and an Identifier for identifying a Personal Computer, comprising the steps of: on receiving an outgoing request from an outgoing-side Personal Computer, searching for an outgoing-side telephone corresponding to the outgoing-side Personal Computer from the means for storing; transmitting an incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone searched for; and canceling the incoming request to the outgoing-side telephone on receiving an outgoing cancel from the outgoing-side Personal Computer. 